Bolshoi violinist dies after falling into orchestra pit

A senior violinist at Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre has died after falling into the orchestra pit below the stage.

Viktor Sedov, 65, who had been a member of the Russian ballet and opera house’s orchestra for four decades, died of his injuries in hospital on Wednesday 17 July, following the fall on the previous evening.

The exact details of what happened still remain unclear but a spokesperson for the Bolshoi, Katerina Novikova, confirmed the incident and said Sedov was much loved in the theatre for his 'sense of humour and extraordinary erudition'.

The death of Sedov, who played in the second violins, is the latest tragedy to happen at the Bolshoi, which is one of the world’s greatest theatres. In January 2013, the ballet company’s artistic director, Sergei Filin almost lost his eyesight after he was a victim of an acid attack outside his home in Moscow.

Only earlier this month the head of the Bolshoi Theatre, Sergei Filn, was removed from his post by the Russian government. He was replaced with Vladimir Urin, who has previously headed Moscow’s highly regarded Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre.

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